Niger, Algeria to boost counter-terrorism cooperation

Algeria and Niger on Monday agreed to step up counter-terrorism cooperation through mobilizing and pooling their operational and intelligence capabilities.

"We've agreed to mobilize and coordinate our operational and intelligence capabilities to deal with terrorist threats and criminal organizations criminal," President of Niger Mahamadou Issoufou told reporters after his meeting in Algiers with President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

"Algeria and Niger share nearly 1,000 km border, with large desert areas, which require being secured," he added.

Issoufou further noted that security issues of common interest, including the situation in Libya and Mali, were on the agenda of discussions between delegations of the two neighboring countries.

The talks also focused on ways to boost economic exchanges between Algiers and Niamey, he said, stressing that he is optimistic about the future of bilateral relations.

Issoufou said he discussed with Bouteflika potential partnership opportunities in the hydrocarbons sector, adding that some continental projects were also addressed, including the Trans-Saharan highway, the optical fiber network, and gas pipeline linking Algeria, Niger and Nigeria.

President Issoufou started on Sunday a three-day visit to the North African nation to boost bilateral security and economic cooperation. Endit